Refractory focal epilepsy in a paediatric patient with primary familial brain calcification

Seizure. 2018 Mar:56:50-52. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2018.02.001. Epub 2018 Feb 6.

Abstract

Primary familial brain calcification (PFBC), otherwise known as Fahr's disease, is a rare autosomal dominant condition with manifestations of movement disorders, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and epilepsy in a minority of PFBC patients. The clinical presentation of epilepsy in PFBC has not been described in detail. We present a paediatric patient with PFBC and refractory focal epilepsy based on seizure semiology and ictal EEG, but with generalized interictal EEG abnormalities. The patient was found to have a SLC20A2 mutation known to be pathogenic in PFBC, as well as a variant of unknown significance in SCN2A. This case demonstrates that the ictal EEG is important for accurately classifying epilepsy in affected subjects with PFBC. Further, epilepsy in PFBC may be a polygenic disorder.

Keywords: Epilepsy; Fahr’s disease; Paediatric; Primary familial brain calcification (PFBC); SCN2A; SLC20A2.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Calcinosis / complications*
  • Calcinosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Child, Preschool
  • Drug Resistant Epilepsy / complications*
  • Drug Resistant Epilepsy / diagnostic imaging
  • Electroencephalography
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male